Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste-Chapter 159. The Authority

Crackle.

Sparks rose from the campfire, drifting into the night sky.

Kim Do-Joon sat alone before the fire, quietly regaining his strength. Ashunaga was patrolling the area. The solitude gave him a chance to inspect his newest acquisition—the crown of thorns.

What kind of options does it have?

Kim Do-Joon scrutinized the crown closely.

However, all the status window displayed was [Shadow Lord’s Fragment].

In the past, when he’d acquired items with Siwelin, they’d display "???" for unknown details. This time, there was nothing at all. It was as if the item came with no pre-programmed information.

I suppose I’ll only find out by copy-pasting it.

A trace of unease crept into his mind. Once he copy-pasted an effect, there was no undoing it. If the effect turned out to be something useless—or worse, dangerous—there would be no going back.

However, not copy-pasting was not an option either. With a steadying breath, Kim Do-Joon activated his ability.

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

[The Shadow Lord’s Fragment has been destroyed.]

[The transferred ability will be adjusted according to the recipient's classification.]

A surge of energy coursed through him. Mana stirred within him, growing and moving effortlessly as though flowing along a perfectly paved road. It was an unparalleled sensation—one that ordinary means could never provide.

[Your mana has increased by 1 level.]

[Your mana has increased by 1 level.]

[Your mana has increased by 1 level.]

...

The messages seemed endless. By the time they stopped, Kim Do-Joon’s mana stat had risen by twenty levels.

“This is... excellent,” Kim Do-Joon murmured.

The effect was phenomenal. For someone like Kim Do-Joon, whose abilities became exponentially stronger with increased mana, this was a game-changer. Yet, there was a lingering sense of dissatisfaction.

Is that it?

The effect only boosted his mana. Considering the item's ominous name and the circumstances of its acquisition, the outcome felt underwhelming. However, just as disappointment began to settle, a vast, otherworldly vision overtook him.

Towering mountain ranges stretched into infinity, their peaks lost among clouds. Massive trees that dwarfed ordinary forests spread across the land, and in the skies above, countless dragons soared.

It was the Dragon’s Gorge. A lone cabin stood amidst the overwhelming scenery.

— Failed the hunt again today, haven’t you?

The voice belonged to an old man sitting by a fire outside the cabin. Though his face remained obscured, Kim Do-Joon recognized him instantly. It was the same man from his previous dream.

The old man poked at the fire that Kim Do-Joon was sitting in front of. Skewered meat sizzled over the flames. And for some reason, he picked up one of the two skewers and handed it to a small figure—a child who had been watching him cautiously.

The child hesitated, their wary gaze fixed on the old man. Hunger, however, quickly overcame fear. The child snatched the meat and darted into the bushes.

Rustle.

Though the child was no longer visible, the sounds of frantic chewing echoed from the foliage.

—How did a young half-dragon end up in a place as dangerous as this?

The old man let out a murmur, clicking his tongue. The child bore wounds and bruises all over. Despite their human-like appearance, they had small horns and wings, making it impossible for them to fit into human society.

The old man sighed and sat back, his gaze distant.

The vision ended and Kim Do-Joon snapped back to reality, still seated by the campfire. The logs hadn’t burned much, suggesting only moments had passed.

At this point, Kim Do-Joon couldn’t dismiss these visions as mere dreams. frёeωebɳovel.com

Could this be related to my ability?

It was the most logical explanation—in fact, the only one that made sense.

Cornered by wild dogs at the cliff, he discovered the ancient key in the cave. With it, he unlocked the Labyrinth Catacomb and awakened his copy-pasting skill. Could it all have been orchestrated by that old man?

Kim Do-Joon sat in silence, lost in thought as the fire crackled before him.

[The Authority of the Thorn of Searshader has been enhanced.]

A notification rang out, scattering Kim Do-Joon’s spiraling thoughts. Jolted back to his senses, he glanced at the message.

I’ll think about the old man and my abilities later. For now, finish what’s in front of me.

Particularly, the being who had taken over Gao Lin’s body and created this space. Besides, meeting them could yield more clues.

Alright... Let’s get going.

Not long after, Ashunaga returned from her patrol. Together, the two ventured deeper into the branch.

***

The landscape resembled a narrow gorge, flanked by steep cliffs on either side. Just like before, the entrance was sealed by a massive gate.

While climbing the cliffs was an option, Kim Do-Joon decided against it.

They wouldn’t have placed gates down here if the path above was the correct route.

It was thin reasoning, but better than scaling cliffs without a plan. Therefore, they pressed forward along the narrow path.

As they moved deeper, they encountered several more gates, similar to the first. Each one had been sealed tightly.

Naturally, Kim Do-Joon’s solution was simple.

Boom!

With brute force, he shattered the gates one after another. Unlike the first gate, however, no powerful monsters waited beyond.

I guess everything’s killed already.

Instead, what remained were grim signs of destruction: severed hands and shattered black armor.

That creature must have eaten everything on his way through here.

However, some shadow soldiers were still alive, either deliberately left behind or overlooked.

Clatter. Clatter.

A shadow soldier, its dark form flickering like a flame, spotted Kim Do-Joon and rushed at him with unbridled aggression.

Thud.

However, it was subdued with ridiculous ease. Kim Do-Joon grabbed its head and slammed it into the ground.

Let’s see if this works.

Still holding the soldier in place, Kim Do-Joon summoned his own shadow. It slithered forward, creeping upward from the struggling figure’s legs, enveloping it. The soldier thrashed harder, sensing what was happening, but Kim Do-Joon held firm.

"Human! Y-you’re even eating monsters now?!" Ashunaga exclaimed in panic.

"...What do you mean by even eating monsters?"

"You’ve been swallowing swords and spears, haven’t you?"

"When did I ever... Just shut up and let me concentrate." Kim Do-Joon cut her off with a sharp glare, refocusing on the task at hand.

The shadow crept further up the soldier’s form, engulfing it completely.

All done!

Moments later, the transformation was complete. When the shadow dissipated, the grotesque, inhuman soldier was gone, replaced by a human.

Kim Do-Joon crouched down. He placed a hand on their neck and leaned in to listen for a heartbeat.

"Is it... alive?" Ashunaga asked hesitantly.

"No," Kim Do-Joon replied, shaking his head. "This one’s been dead for a long time."

A bitter taste filled his mouth. With this, the fate of the townsfolk who had been dragged into this nightmare became clear.

Kim Do-Joon stood, his expression resolute. "Let’s go."

If nothing else, one thing had become clear: this Branch had to be destroyed.

Kim Do-Joon smashed through more gates as they advanced, encountering scattered shadow soldiers along the way. Each time, Kim Do-Joon pulled their shadows and reverted them back into their original human forms.

Although they were all dead, Kim Do-Joon didn’t stop. The difference between dying as a monster and dying as a human mattered. It mattered for the dead themselves, and for the loved ones they had left behind.

One by one, he restored dozens of shadow soldiers to their original forms, leaving a trail of human corpses in his wake. At last, Kim Do-Joon reached the end of the gorge.

***

“Stop!”

Before them stood an imposing fortress, its walls embedded into the cliffside of the gorge—a natural stronghold. At its entrance, Black Knights stood guard, weapons at the ready.

Ashunaga squinted, scanning the guards.

“These ones seem... intact.”

“Yeah, it looks that way,” Kim Do-Joon agreed.

The contrast was striking. Every other gate they had passed had been littered with the remains of soldiers devoured by the shadow beast. Only the occasional survivor had been left behind.

However, here, the Black Knights stood firm and unscathed.

This could only mean one thing:

The one who had seized Gao Lin’s body and created this domain—the so-called Shadow Lord—is here.

The guards, noticing Kim Do-Joon’s approach, reacted with visible shock.

“How did a human get here?!”

“Wait... could he be...?”

“Is he the one the king mentioned?!”

Their hesitation gave way to dark smiles. With a collective sneer, they drew their swords, clearly eager to prove their loyalty.

Moments later, their confidence was shattered.

“Gaargh!”

“Stop!”

“No! Argh!”

All three knights fell to Kim Do-Joon, swallowed by his shadows. When their forms reemerged, they reverted to the Hunters of Black Dragon they once were.

Kim Do-Joon carefully laid their bodies down. With no further resistance, he advanced to the fortress gates.

Boom—!

A single punch crumpled the massive doors like paper, sending them flying inward.

Kim Do-Joon strode into the fortress without hesitation, Ashunaga trailing cautiously behind him. Her usual bravado was gone, replaced by a sense of foreboding.

“Hey! Hurry up!” Kim Do-Joon said.

“C-can’t you slow down a little? This place feels... really cursed,” Ashunaga grumbled.

“Shh. Quiet.”

Cutting off her complaints, Kim Do-Joon raised a hand, covering her mouth to be quiet. Then, he listened carefully.

—Babababam—!

The ground trembled beneath their feet, the air vibrating with the force of a distant impact. Without wasting a moment, Kim Do-Joon sprinted toward the source of the commotion.

He arrived at a cavernous chamber, its entrance guarded by yet another massive gate. This time, he didn’t break through. Instead, he cautiously pushed it open.

Creak—!

Inside was a scene of devastation. The chamber resembled a throne room, though any grandeur it once had was now in ruins. Columns lay shattered, the walls scarred with deep gouges, and the floor was littered with rubble.

In the center of it all knelt a figure—Jecheon Seong, the sage and master whom Kim Do-Joon held in the highest regard.

“Ha... Ha...”

Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, and he was clutching his chest, clearly injured.

“Elder!” Kim Do-Joon called, rushing to his side.

Jecheon Seong had always been an unshakable pillar of strength—someone Kim Do-Joon believed to be invincible. Neither the Fire Spirit King Vulcanus, Nereid, the ferocious Blood Lion, nor even the Shadow Beast could compare to him.

Yet now, Jecheon Seong was on one knee, visibly struggling to stay upright.

“You’re here,” Jecheon Seong said, his voice strained.

“What happened?” Kim Do-Joon asked, helping him to his feet.

“Keugh...” JeCheon Seong winced, clutching his chest.

From the look of it, several ribs were broken.

“Who did this to you?!” Kim Do-Joon asked.

“Hah...” Jecheon Seong exhaled deeply, a grim smile on his face. “According to him, he’s called the Lord... the Shadow Lord, or something of the sort.”

Kim Do-Joon’s mind raced, recalling the Shadow Lord’s Fragment.

So, it was him.

“Where is he?” Kim Do-Joon growled, his mana flaring.

The tension in the air grew palpable as his determination solidified.

If this Shadow Lord was powerful enough to bring Jecheon Seong to his knees, the upcoming battle would be unlike anything he had faced before.

Jecheon Seong pointed weakly to the far end of the chamber.

Kim Do-Joon followed his gaze and froze.

“...What the?”

At the end of the room lay a figure, crumpled and barely moving. It was Gao Lin, his body battered and covered in blood. The supposed Shadow Lord was in shambles, his form twitching weakly on the ground.